David O. Castro

CHCI Technology Postgraduate Fellow   

Presented by Meta  

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois   

School: University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy  

Degree: Master of Public Policy  

Placement: House Committee on Homeland Security

David Castro (he/him) is a native of the City of Chicago, where he was born and raised in a Spanish-speaking household as the son of Colombian immigrants. His interest in serving the greater good began at an early age with the example set by his parents, who worked as teachers in a majority Latino neighborhood. David completed his K-8 education in a Chicago public school. He was then awarded a scholarship to attend a boarding school in New England, receiving his high school diploma there. During his senior year, David interned in a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. Alongside his multicultural upbringing, he developed his interest in and passion for public service to look for opportunities to support and generate progress for individuals and society at large.   

David graduated from Vanderbilt University (Go ’Dores!) with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, concentrating in International Politics. He minored in Managerial Studies: Corporate Strategy and in French, even being inducted into Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. While at his undergraduate alma mater, David was a member of the executive steering and student services committees. He also participated in the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute (JSI) at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), a highly selective and rigorous graduate school preparation program with a commitment to the public good. For his graduate studies in Ann Arbor, he gained recognition as a Weill Scholar, earning a full-ride scholarship as a Master of Public Policy (MPP) student focused on International Policy. Additionally, he took part in a student-led policy conference on ethics, artificial intelligence (AI), and the future of work. Moreover, he contributed as the Communications Chair of Global Fordies, an organization at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy centered on establishing a worldwide network of engaged public servants. David’s academic formation is clear in his professional background, considering his various experiences in the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other federal agencies. Furthermore, he is a proud alum of the HACU National Internship Program (HNIP), the Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP), and the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) MANO Project.   

As the CHCI Technology Postgraduate Fellow, David hopes to delve into how Latino communities are impacted by priorities as interconnected as foreign policy, national security, and emerging technologies like AI. In his return to D.C., he is eager to advance equitable outcomes and effective policy solutions on issues of particular importance to Latinos. Beyond the fellowship, David hopes to apply what he learns through CHCI in a career with the government to continue advocating for diverse communities.